When my daughter was a toddler I took her to Dr Block for her first dental visit, on the recommendation of my own dentist. My toddler was a thumb-sucker (not all that unusual at that age). Dr Block told us to stop her from sucking her thumb at all costs, and advised us to "smack her" whenever she started to suck. If my daughter didn't stop thumb sucking, Dr Block told us she would have to have her jaw broken to repair the "damage." We decided the psychological damage of smacking her would be worse, so we switched dentists. My daughter's new dentist told us her crooked teeth were genetic, not from thumb sucking. After orthodontia, which she would have needed anyway, my now 16-year-old daughter has a lovely bite and beautiful teeth. And like most kids she stopped thumb sucking on her own, without us abusing her. There is no call to advise parents to abuse their children. If you love your kids, take them to Dr Eric Kvinsland instead of Dr Block.
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